I seriously spent days researching the options and was super confused! This past weekend my husband and I went to a cloth diapering workshop at a store that holds them a couple of times a month for free and I think we finally have some clarity. And we were clearly not the only ones who were confused because everyone there was shocked when it ended at we all realized that two hours had gone by. At first I thought AIOs would be easier but it seems like they will be just take longer to wash and dry (plus more expensive). So we're going to do prefolds with covers. Just not sure which ones yet! It also sounds like there is less chance of leakage with prefolds and covers since there are two different elements. We will probably also get a couple of AIOs or pocket diapers to try out and we're thinking they may be easier for anyone who might babysit at some point. As far as the cord goes...the woman who was teaching our workshop didn't seem to think it was necessary to do anything other than fold down the diaper so that it was not on top of it.

we are also prefold and cover users. not much more work than AIO's. my biggest piece of advice would be to just buy newborn stuff at first. don't try to do your whole stash at once, because until you're actually using them, it's really hard to figure out what works for your family. one-size covers are pretty great, but rarely fit newborns right anyway, so it makes more sense to buy some newborn sized covers, and then order one-size covers once the baby is actually going to fit in them. newborns pee and poop SOOOO frequently, i can't see the point of AIO's for them, as you would be putting on a whole fresh diaper every time they poop... at least with a prefold and cover, you have a pretty good chance of getting to reuse the cover.

anyway, once your baby actually arrives and you know what size it is and how stuff really works, you can pretty easily order the rest of your diapers. i did it in two or three stages, and by 9 months, i had all the diapers that tzippy will use for her whole diapering career, since i know her body type and growth curve. i've spent maybe $400 on prefolds and covers from birth until 2years (unless something drastic happens and all my covers suddenly fall apart or something).

my favourite covers of all time are thirsties (and i've tried a lot of them!). i loved the fit of thirsties XS for the newborn days, but we also used some bummis NB sizes. i like Bummis too, actually... they are very solid and dependable, but don't come in the one-size option.

my vote for a newborn stash would be:

24 nb prefolds2 thirsties XS2 thirsties Duo 12 Bummis super brite nb2 more covers of your choice. it's nice to try a couple different brands to see if something really clicks. bummis just came out with a new style of cover though... that would be my vote (2 bummis super lite NB)2 snappisdiaper cream for clotha simple stepcan for used diapers. some people line their bins, i never saw the need... i just rinse the removable bin occasionally. wipes (2 dozen regular washcloths, and i later cut up and hemmed flannel receiving blankets too)

then, depending on your baby, you will have as little as 1 month and as long as 3 to figure out whether that works for you. at some point you might decide you need more convenience, more absorbency, more simplicity, or more of the same. the newborn sizes do seem like a waste of money if you do end up with a larger baby, but seriously, there is no way to know in advance, and it's just a fact of life that newborns grow at a tremendous rate, and yet also need way more diapers than they do as older babies.

we eventually realized that all our covers need to have gussets. we had some covers in NB size that didn't, but Tzippy is very slim, so those really never worked. we also realized we hate snaps and love velcro, so all our covers have velcro. some people are exactly opposite. we also realized we needed fleece liners to keep the wet off her. these were all things that came up later though, and i'm glad i kept things really simple at first... there is barely anything we didn't get good use out of. we use disposables fairly liberally even now... when travelling, when i need to be out for the whole day, when she has a rash from something she ate (and also during the great yeast rash of '10 ... ick), when she is going through a particularly violent diaper hating phase, etc. it seems overwhelming now, but it gets normal pretty darn fast.

edit: i forgot to add: i only put in 24 prefolds because, while you will be using at least 12 a day, your washing machine will be going continuously, and newborn dirty diapers can get washed with anything... so just keep throwing the used diapers in the washing machine with everything else that has poop, pee, spit-up, milk sprays etc on it and wash with a dye/fragrance free detergent... pop the covers on a drying rack and everything else in the dryer. no need to wash a full load of diapers... you can put a pre-wash and extra rinse on if you want. if you really want to reduce your washing frequency, add another 12 diapers.

Well, I'm in the minority on this board - I don't like prefolds, and prefer velcro. Like others have said, you've got to try them out and find what works for you.

I was really confused at first too, and used the trial at jillian's drawers. You get to use a whole bunch of types for 21 days for only $10.

Also, initially I thought I'd get enough diapers for 3 days, but only ended up getting enough for 2 days. I think it is better to wash them every other day or else they get too stinky. I thought it would be a big pain in the butt (ha) to do laundry that often but it really isn't bad at all.

_________________I'm not asking for utopian dreams...just a little peace in this world. That's a logical thing. - Deee-Lite

Btw, bottombumpers organic AIO's are one of my favorites, and I just found a super clearance sale on them.Unfortunately it is only on size small or large, and I'd need medium. Darn. But figured I'd post if anyone is interested...

Btw, bottombumpers organic AIO's are one of my favorites, and I just found a super clearance sale on them.Unfortunately it is only on size small or large, and I'd need medium. Darn. But figured I'd post if anyone is interested...

Count me in with the overwhelmed. That said, after doing my own research and then finally just taking your recommendations, this is what I have purchased to start off:Per Aubade's advise, I went to www.diaperbuddies.com and got2 small hook and loop AIO'sa 3 pack of small side snapping AIO's1 pkg cotton doublersThen I went to www.myswimbaby.com and got2 thirsties diaper covers XS2 dozen newborn prefolds (two kinds for variety)2 snappisAnd finally, at www.bananapeelsdiapers.com2 thirsties duo wraps with snaps, size 12 bummis super brite diaper covers for newborns1 large wetbagI was considering just using disposables to start but I don't want to give up (or be persuaded to) if we don't start off on a good foot. My parents will be at the beach soon after baby should arrive and I am hoping to spend some time there and want to be prepared. It'll be a good chance to break them in with the cloth diapering in case they claim intimidation later on. Plus I would hate to just have to go through this research all over again later. Once we get them in the mail we can practice on teddy bears or something.So I spent a little over $200 (yikes!) Please someone tell me I have made a reasonable start and not completely overdone it! Also, I am assuming size 1 is for newborns?

_________________For a looooong time, my ONLY daydream was of going to a salon by myself. When I finally did manage it, I was like, do whatever you want to my hair, just don't scream at me, vomit on me, or gnaw on my boobs. - coldandsleepy

Good luck! I think I've spent about $150 so far, which I'll probably supplement with that Jillian's Drawers trial (it complements the brands I have/plan to order well)...and of course I may pick up some custom CDs from Etsy, it's hard to resist. A big chunk of that was the $50 flip day pack though. Unfortunately it's hard to know if it's a good investment until you see how big the baby is! But diaperswappers.com looks like a good place to sell things you don't want, and it looks like a lot of brands hold their value well. Anyway, if you're overdoing it so am I!

If you'll be travelling, have you seen some of the hybrid systems? I haven't tried them, obviously, but the idea really appeals to me - you can use a disposable insert with the cloth covers when you're travelling. (gDiapers and Flip are both brands that sell cloth and disposable inserts) This is our tentative plan for when we go places without easy laundry access. I'm surprised your parents aren't cloth diapering pros - when my husband and I were babies disposables were novelty items in their inancy, mainly used for travelling and without a reputation of being very good.

i think that sounds good, pumpkin! i wouldn't buy anything more until the baby actually arrives. you have enough to then make a decision about doing more prefolds, more AIOs or a mix. and practicing on a teddy bear is a good idea!

like i said before, the newborn stage is the least cost effective for cloth diapers... they grow out of sizes so quickly and use so many more diapers a day. once they get a bit older, they will stay in their size for a while, and use so many less diapers and covers, so it's easier to see the cost savings.

if you want to make yourself feel better though, calculate how many packs of disposable diapers you would be using a month at 8-12 diapers a day... it adds up pretty amazingly fast.

I think your stash looks good pumpkin. The small size AIO's might be too big for a newborn depending on how much the baby weighs at birth, but in that case you'll be covered with the newborn size prefolds until s/he grows into them.

My baby was only 6 lbs 3 oz at birth, but 22" long, so he was super skinny and didn't even fit into newborn size for awhile. We used disposables then and they still leaked out the waist because we couldn't get a snug enough fit. (probably needed preemie size but I didn't realize it at the time) He is growing kind of slowly too, just 11lbs at our last ped visit mid Jan, so he started wearing size small just a few weeks before that around 2.5 months.

But like littlbird said, they normally grow out of the newborn size so fast you're probably better off buying the small size AIO's anyway. And of course who knows, you could have a 8-9 lb baby who would need size small right away.

_________________I'm not asking for utopian dreams...just a little peace in this world. That's a logical thing. - Deee-Lite

Diaperswappers.com is a great idea! I'll have to remember that when branching out to bigger sizes/different options.I'm sure my mother used cloth diapers forty years ago but in more recent years, she has been the primary babysitter for my sister's kids (and my sister wouldn't even consider cloth) so I think she would be all about convenience. That said, I think she'll be as surprised as I was at how well CDs are engineered these days! And even my sister would be wooed by the adorable prints.I considered disposable inserts but we will have a washing machine at the condo and I probably won't stray far. Also, I figured if I splurged on a wet bag up front, I would have no excuse not to use it out and about (and I love the color).I was wondering though, how well do poopie diapers wash? Those of you who have used CDs for longer, do you think they will hold up for later children or are they pretty worn out by the end? I'm not trying to be a complete cheapskate. Just wonderin'.

_________________For a looooong time, my ONLY daydream was of going to a salon by myself. When I finally did manage it, I was like, do whatever you want to my hair, just don't scream at me, vomit on me, or gnaw on my boobs. - coldandsleepy

I was wondering though, how well do poopie diapers wash? Those of you who have used CDs for longer, do you think they will hold up for later children or are they pretty worn out by the end? I'm not trying to be a complete cheapskate. Just wonderin'.

If you're breastfeeding it's a breeze. No special dipping/soaking/anything required, just wash as you normal would (for me that was a cold rinse, a hot wash cycle with soap, and then another rinse). Once solids were introduced it was necessary to scrape/dip the diapers into the toilet prior to putting them in the diaper pail, but it still wasn't that big of a deal. I've heard it's different if you're using formula (would have to scrape/dip from the beginning. But, again, I didn't find that too bad).

After 2 years of my daughter using her diapers (we used a variety of pocket diapers and pre-folds/covers and one AIO) they're all still in good shape for my next baby. And that's with them being washed every other day that entire 2 years. Well, the velcro on the older BumGenius pockets isn't all that great anymore, so I'm converting them to snaps, but otherwise the diapers themselves and the other covers are all fine. They really do last!

One more vote for Flips. I use them with the organic cotton inserts and with Bummi o. cotton inserts as well. They also worked well with gDiaper inserts before I got sick of shelling out the money for them. I probably have two dozen Flip prefold, three dozen Bummi prefolds, and 8 covers. They wash really well- lately I just throw poopy diapers into the wash with anything else that's dirty, on a cold cycle on the super wash (extra rinse) setting, and it all comes out (with the occasional stain, but really, who cares?). I looooove the Flip covers because they always look brand new, they adjust amazingly well, and the snaps don't get all nasty llike velcro does (I had some Bummi covers but they snagged everything if I forgot to close the velcro tabs-- I gave them all to my sister). If I feel industrious, I use my diaper sprayer on the shower floor with a nailbrush, then spray the floor with some non-toxic shower cleaner and leave the rinsed diapers in a pile until the washing machine is open. I tried putting vinegar in the wash but my mom freaked because it made everything smell like spoiled milk. Now I just put a few drops of peppermint oil or tea tree every once in a while and I'll be putting the prefolds on the clothesline when the weather is warm to bleach out the stains.

I watched my sister's baby (3 months) yesterday and she uses Huggies pure & natural. I'm sorry, but despite the attempt, those diapers just pale in comparison to cloth. I felt bad putting her in them and will be foisting the small prefolds on my sister when Zora outgrows them.

Yay, the diapers have arrived and I've never been so excited about stuff that is going to be smothered in poop! I brought them over to show my family how everything works. Here is a dumb question: When prewashing, is it wash, dry, wash, dry, etc. or just wash, wash, wash?

_________________For a looooong time, my ONLY daydream was of going to a salon by myself. When I finally did manage it, I was like, do whatever you want to my hair, just don't scream at me, vomit on me, or gnaw on my boobs. - coldandsleepy

Yay, the diapers have arrived and I've never been so excited about stuff that is going to be smothered in poop! I brought them over to show my family how everything works. Here is a dumb question: When prewashing, is it wash, dry, wash, dry, etc. or just wash, wash, wash?

I asked a friend, she said you don't have to dry in between. So I did 5 hot wash cycles with decreasing amounts of Tide Free (make sure you're using a detergent that doesn't void your warranties!) and then dried. Without fabric softener, of course - the idea is that you want to get rid of all the surface coating on the fabric so they're as absorbent as possible.

Are you talking about cotton prefolds? I did 3 or 4 washes with a dry on hot in between. I don't know if that's necessary or if I was just overdoing it. I know what you mean about being excited: cloth diapers are SO CUTE!

I didn't dry in between washes. I just washed them 5 or 6 times (or maybe even more? I can't remember). Then I dried them and checked to see if the prefolds had quilted up nicely. Since they had, I figured I was done. (I was using unbleached cotton prefolds, and those take a LOT of washing.)

If you've got the time (and what do you have at the end of your pregnancy except time? heh heh) you may as well dry them between washes... that'll help you see how nicely they're quilting up.

We don't have a dryer, so I boiled mine for like 35 minutes and then line dried them. I read somewhere that this strips the cotton oils better than just plain ol' washing. Whether or not that's true, it did work, and it felt kind of hilariously old timey to be boiling up a huge pot of diapers.

Inez is a month old and I still haven't started full time cloth diapering. When she was teeny it was just too overwhelming, plus my stupid newborn prefolds were too big to fit in the covers no matter what I did with them. Now she's a little bigger (I think 10-ish pounds) and I've tried a few times with the small size prefolds and a Thirsties Duo cover - it's a little better but I still think I'm not doing something right. The prefold is longer than the cover, so I fold down the excess and then fold in thirds, but this results in a giant wad of diaper that I can barely get the cover over. If any sticks out, pee wicks onto her clothes. I really cannot grasp how people say they just lay a prefold inside the cover. The prefolds are so big! Ugh. I feel like an idiot and I'm annoyed that we're still using so many disposables.

Also, I never ordered any prefolds in sizes bigger than small and I only have a few covers. So I'll need to get something else when she gets bigger anyway. If I end up giving up on prefolds entirely, what do people recommend? Like, what's the easiest, most idiot-proof option?

To be honest, I never could just lay the prefold in the cover. They never fit right and poopiebaby peed out of them anytime I tried it. I LOVE my prefolds when I pin or snappi though, and I wouldn't do it any other way (I have tried pockets and AIOs and I just prefer the prefolds/covers). Have you tried pinning/snappi-ing at all?

We didn't cloth diaper full time until poopiebaby was about a month old, so don't feel bad! There is so much to adjust to in those first few weeks, it can be overwhelming. You CAN do it!

We don't do snappis at all because uh, the Emperor is too fat for snappis. Or at least he was the last time I tried one, which was a loooong time ago. There was no way to get it on the diaper on both wings without it squeezing him so hard he'd be red after taking the diaper off.

The prefolds we use primarily are a bit too long... maybe 2 inches too long. So we fold down the back a little. It's a pain, and does cause a bit of a diaper bump. I find it's better to have the extra bit be in the back... I let it lay flat there and don't bother folding the part that's folded over into thirds. (Does that make sense?) Sometimes I don't even fold it, I just wait til it's on him and then I stuff whatever's poking out in.

And hey, guess what? You are an AMAZING parent no matter what you put on Inez's butt. Congrats on reaching one month, by the way!

i have been cloth diapering for almost 21 months, and i just get the diaper and the cover on and run after the little whirlwind tucking in the bits that stick out of the cover. i just try to make sure the cover is tight and it doesn't wick. At first, i remember wicking was a problem, but i think its because they are so small its hard to get a tight fit. I use snappies sometimes and sometimes i don't. i hope that makes sense.

And cold and sleepy, do you have the toddler sized snappis? i have been using them for a while now and they fit much better, a couple of months ago i thought we might have reached the end with them, but my little man is thinning out and setting taller, so i think they will keep working for a while.